Taekwondo Green Belt and Field Day

Taylor tested and passed to receive her green striped belt. She performed her demonstrations correctly, did the splits front side and center and did a scorpion kick to break a board!! Taylor really enjoys Taekwondo and wants to do well. She didn't think she passed and was really bummed at first, and then realized she could test again. But no need, she did pass!
Today was Field Day at GVA and the last day of school until August 5th when she is officially a 1st grader. Watching Taylor run, pull and drag though the events was really fun....that's when I realized she was pretty athletic. We want to try out a few other sports to see what she likes and enjoys the most. We think we have an athlete in our hands. So far Taylor loves taekwondo and ballet and swimming. She said she did not want to join the swim team this year at our neighborhood pool. Too scary to think about swimming all the way to the other end....we will see this weekend when the pool opens.

Kindergarten Graduation

Well my little girl is officially a 1st grader now! Taylor graduated from Global Village Academy Friday in full cap & gown. There were 88 kids in the Mandarin and Spanish programs. The principal handed out the diplomas and then cake was served. I asked Taylor what she was most excited about and she said, "My favorite thing about graduating was that I did it. I am happy to be moving up a level."
All the graduates sang this song (sung to Toys R Us):
I don't wanna grow up I'm a GVA kid
I've learned so many things at school that I can grow with
Like reading books and making friends
At the best darn school there is...
And if you ask me when I'm grown I'll say
I'll always be a GVA kid

Daisy Mother Daughter Tea

Today was a special day for Taylor and her Daisy friends. We celebrated the day with a mother-daughter tea and pinning ceremony. The girls each decorated a hat the meeting before and made a Daisy vest patch for a swap with an older GSA troop. We brought along our tea set and table with the green tent (thanks G'ma) for photo ops. The girls had so much fun acting ladylike and then when it was over proceeded to play Mr. Shark and run around! They will be a Daisy next year for 1st grade and then move up to a Brownie the following year. The troop is part of our neighborhood, not Tay's school.

4 Years Waiting for Kendy

May 16th passed by without a woeful thought to the long 4 year wait for our second adoption from China. It is a daily feeling, a wish, a hope, and a dream we have lived with for 5 years~ever since we brought home Taylor Alyene Minfang. I can recall every time we put something off or missed out on doing something because of the possibility of news from China....
What we did do was live every moment with Taylor, so she would know just how important she is. Waiting for her mei mei Kendy has not been a burden, but rather something we joyfully anticipate. We hope to bring home our little girl Kendy by year end. In comparison, Taylor's adoption with China took 8 months (13 total). And I thought that was so long!

GVA Recognition for Taylor

Yeah! I am so proud of Taylor! GVA held its Recognition Awards Assembly today and each class/grade level honored one student per topic and special class. Taylor was chosen by her P.E. teacher, Mr. Howe, as the outstanding Kindergartner and her teacher Mrs. Ge chose her as the #1 student in Math. Not to mention (again!) her 2nd place award at the Chinese Speech contest last month. Taylor is a good student; she pays attention and wants to do well. Yesterday I read with her in her Voices class (reading) and when the teacher came to sit with us, Taylor turned shy and read very carefully. When Ms. Adles went to another student, Tay began reading at a much quicker pace with confidence. Ever since pre-school at Holy Love, she has been that quiet student watching and taking in her surroundings.
Taylor has really come out of her shell most days at school. She is talking out loud and sharing her thoughts in class. She knows she is doing well in Mandarin and can do it, which boosts her confidence. Tonight she read a book to daddy!
I love you Taytay! Wo ai ni

Adoption Match Update from China CCAA May 10

This is the latest update on matches from China.
China Center for Adoption Affairs, (CCAA) Status:
Children matched April 18 - April 21, 2006
Another big move...we are getting closer!
Maybe, just maybe we could go Nov-Dec.
The last match date was April 5, 2010
We are LID 5-16-06

"Heaven is the face of a little girl whose dark brown eyes disappear when she smiles..." - Steven Curtis Chapman

Fairy Dust

All you need is faith, trust and a little fairy dust!